674 REPORT— 1898. 



similarities of mythologies are due, not only to borrowing, but also to the 

 fact that, under similar conditions which prevail in a limited area, the 

 human mind creates similar products. While there is a certain truth in this 

 argument, so far as elementary forms of human thought are concerned, it 

 seems quite incredible that the same complex product should originate 

 twice in a limited territory. The very complexity of the tales and their 

 gradual dwindling down, to which reference has already been made, can- 

 not possibly be explained by any other theory than by that of dissemination. 

 Wherever geographical continuity of the area of distribution of a complex 

 ethnographical phenomenon is found, the laws of probability exclude the 

 theory that in this continuous area the complex phenomenon has arisen 

 independently in various places ; but they compel us to assume that the 

 distribution of this phenomenon in its present complex form is due to 

 dissemination, while its composing elements may have originated here and 

 there. 



In the Old World, wherever investigations on mythologies of neigh- 

 bouring tribes have been made, the philological proof has been considered 

 the weightiest ; that is to say, the proof of borrowing has been considered 

 the most satisfactory whenever, together with the stories, the names of the 

 actors have also been borrowed. We cannot expect to find such borrow 

 ing of names to prevail to a great extent in America. Even in Asia the 

 borrowed names are often translated from one language into the other, so 

 that their phonetic resemblance is entirely destroyed. The same pheno- 

 menon is observed in America. In many cases the heroes of myths are 

 animals, whose names are introduced in the myths. In other cases, names 

 are translated, or so much changed, according to the phonetic laws of 

 various languages, that they can hardly be recognised. Cases of trans- 

 mission of names are, however, by no means rare. We will give only a 

 few examples from the North Pacific coast. 



Almost all the names of the Bilqula mythology are borrowed from the 

 Kwakiutl language. A portion of the great religious ceremony of the 

 Kwakiutl has the name ' tlokoa'la.' This name, which is also closely con- 

 nected with a certain series of myths, has spread northward and southward 

 over a considerable distance. Southward we find it as far as the Columbia 

 River, while to the north it ceases with the Tsimshian ; but stUl farther 

 north another name of a part of the ceremonial of the Kwakiutl is substi- 

 tuted, viz., ' nu'ntlEm.' This name, as designating the ceremonial, is 

 found far into Alaska. But tliese are exceptions ; on the whole, the 

 custom of translating names and of introducing names of animals excludes 

 the application of the linguistic method of investigating the borrowing of 

 myths and customs. 



We will next consider the social organisations of the coast tribes in 

 connection with certain peculiar customs which have been described in 

 the Reports of the Committee, viz., the secret societies. 



The northern tribes have maternal institutions, and are divided into a 

 number of clans, which have animal totems. The clans are not con- 

 sidered descendants of the totem animal, but claim that the ancestor of 

 each clan had a meeting with the totem animal, in which the latter became 

 his friend and helper. The Kwakiutl are divided into a number of clans, 

 most of which have animals for their totems. Most of these totems are 

 explained in the same manner as those of the northern tribes, while others 

 are considered direct descendants of the totem animal. Among the 



